Richardson Attorneys on Special Needs Child Custody

Richardson child custody attorneys at Warren & Migliaccio can help if you’re going through a child custody dispute. Your need for legal guidance may be even greater if your child has special needs. Because of the various arrangements and care special needs children require, there are often many considerations in special needs child custody cases.

Special Needs Children and the Law

So what exactly does ‘special needs’ mean? This is a broad category that could include a number of developmental issues. Learning disabilities and emotional problems may be included, for instance. A physician may be involved in some cases; you may ask your attorney about the issue as well.

Special needs children may require more assistance as far as health, education, and daily assistance. As a result, some of the child custody conditions pertaining to children who are not disabled may not apply; additional or different considerations may be necessary for a special needs child custody case.

Determining Who Receives Custody

When determining who receives custody, it’s important to think of the child first. Special needs children often rely on consistency and even the slightest change in routine could be problematic. The first step to determining the best parent for primary custody is to research the child’s needs.

It’s possible to do this in several ways:

discuss the situation with the child if he or she can handle and understand the issues to gauge his or her feelings;

ask the child’s doctor about any medical needs the child has or will have;

ask the child’s therapist about any emotional issues he or she feels are relevant; and

consult the child’s teachers regarding anything the child requires at home to support his or her education.

To protect the wellbeing and health of a special needs child, consider the following when determining who receives primary custody.

Parental health/fitness –Isone parent physically or mentally unhealthy, or is one parent more capable of providing a good environment for the child?

Emotional bonds – Is the child’s bond stronger with one parent compared to the other?

Resources & time – Which parent has better access to necessary resources and/or the time to care for the child?

Behavior management – Which parent is more capable of managing the child appropriately in regard to behavioral issues?

Medical/health management – Which parent is more adept or capable of handling the special medical or health needs of the child?

Visitation and Parenting

Some special needs children may require specific equipment and/or may benefit from consistency in their environment. Therefore, traveling to visit the non-custodial parent may be difficult or even impossible. Arrangements may be necessary so that the non-custodial parent may visit the child’s home (i.e. the custodial parent’s home) or another convenient location.

Depending on the visitation arrangement, the child may be exposed to different styles of parenting. A parenting plan may be helpful in promoting consistency in the child’s daily routine and it can allow both parents to have a fair say in how the child is brought up.

The parenting plan can include information about:

the child’s education;

medical management; and

how the child may shift from childhood to adulthood when the time comes.

Making Changes to Existing Child Custody

At times, some parents find that their child’s needs have changed. The child custody conditions used to create the original agreement may no longer be the best fit for the child. In this case, it may be necessary to contact an attorney about the best route to compromise on changes that are in the best interests of the child. By hiring a child custody lawyer, you will ensure that any changes made are both legal and fair.

Contact a Richardson Child Custody Attorney

Caring for a child with special needs can be emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausting, so placing the child with the best parent to care for the child is essential. To help you defend your ability to care for your special needs child, contact Warren & Migliaccio. Call today to schedule a consultation with a Richardson child custody attorney – 888-584-9614.

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We worked with Chris and other staff. Chris from the start really worked with us as we were unsure what to do next and what was the best option for us. Chris spent a great deal of time with me on the phone, over email as well as meeting with my husband and I in his office. It can be scary to have the unknowns as we did and he really helped. When dealing with things you just don't know about you have to find someone you can trust to lean on and let them handle it; you can't be an expert on everything. The staff were so helpful and there was never a question on what we needed to get them or needed to do during the process. We were prepared 100% for what was to come and even months after the staff was quick to follow up to make sure that we did not have any questions or have anyone contacting us. They even helped figure out the 'what next' and 'where to go from here' that comes up. I would recommend them to anyone finding themselves facing financial struggle and trying to decide what to do. They give a free consultation over the phone or in the office; worth the call to find out your options.

I recommend Warren and Migliaccio to anyone who like myself, had no idea of what to do next. They were open and honest to me about my bankruptcy. They took time and explained the whole process to me beforehand. I was treated I'm sure, as their more prominent clients even though I'm a single senior with a limited income. They helped me maintain my dignity and I'm sure my sanity too.

I would strongly recommend anyone needing a family law attorney use this office. The staff is so friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. Gary Warren and Ryan Bauerle were the ones that helped me with a very rough child custody case and they were absolutely amazing. They are very nice guys but they will fight for you!!! I am truly happy that I used them for the case, I could not have asked for a better attorney! Ryan helped me and my husband so much and explained everything so well to us! I can't thank them enough for all they did for me and my family! So anyone please take my advice, if you need a family law attorney give Ryan a call!!!

Everyone in this attorney's office was wonderful! We had one matter that we needed assistance with last year, but they were not able to assist us with it, however Christopher Migliaccio was kind enough to provide us with a list of attorneys who would be able to help. Over the last couple of weeks, we decided to update our wills and powers of attorney and it could not have been any easier to do. They made it so we only had to make one trip to their office to take care of everything. If we need anything else, I would be most happy to do business with them again!